Empty
by letmeupme
Summary: Solitude.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHOLiC

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Empty

By letmeupme

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It's just as well that today holds no meaning for the man.

It does not hurt, not that much when he doesn't call, just as he didn't call the day before, or the day before that.

Just as he hasn't called for weeks, months, and years.

The man can count how many seconds have passed since he last heard his voice, but doesn't feel like it.

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It's just as well that today, again, he is alone.

It seems he is alone every day these days.

He goes to work, his part-time job.

He will work for four hours, and then go to the grocers.

He will pick up an orange, maybe some wine.

When he gets home, he will carefully check that his only object of value is in its usual place.

Then he will while away his hours with the wine and the orange.

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Looking at the fragment of stone, he wonders if he should feel regretful that his time is slipping away.

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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHOLiC

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Empty

By letmeupme

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Sometimes, he calls Himawari.

Sometimes she visits.

They look out for each other: the pretty woman who can't keep friends, and the brusque man who doesn't make the effort.

She is married now, with a successful businessman that never stays in the country long enough for her luck to brush off on him.

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Usually, they would walk, or have a cup of tea.

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A little after her marriage, she'd come to his house once.

That one time, they'd had sexual intercourse.

It probably hadn't been bad as far as sex went, but it had felt… empty.

They had still been too hopeful for it to work.

It reminded the both of them of what they couldn't have.

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It's just as well that he doesn't call, just as he didn't call the day before, or the day before that.

Just as he hasn't called for weeks, months, and years.

The brusque young man can count how many seconds have passed since he last heard his voice, but he doesn't feel like it.

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He wonders if he should feel regret for how he is still so hopeful.

The last to exit Pandora's Box, was hope truly such a curse?

He doesn't care. It is all he has.

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	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHOLiC

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Empty

By letmeupme

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He sees a flash of colour.

Breaking out into a run, he frantically searches for it, that brush of rich, caramel colour...

_The kitsune oden-shop._

They would still have connections with him; they might let him know-

_Know what?_

His hopes are dashed before they have the time to materialise.

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The flash of colour is gone, and the landscape is a dull grey of concrete and glass again.

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He returns to sweeping the shrine's entrance, taking up the forgotten broom as if nothing had happened.

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Everything is empty, for he can run and run, catching and grasping at the swirls of colour that are gone in a blink of the eye, and his hands will still be empty.

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It's just as well that he doesn't call, just as he didn't call the day before, or the day before that.

Even if he were to call, Doumeki knows that that, too, would be gone far too quickly.

The years will flash by.

The both of them will still be left wanting: and then Watanuki will be the one left with empty hands.

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The days when Doumeki could simply notch an arrow to save him are long past, but if this bleary existence can somehow ease the other's pain, Doumeki will keep with it.

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He can still feel Yuuko-san's egg breaking apart in his hands.

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He still doesn't know if Watanuki had been saved.

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And Doumeki, he hasn't been able to move forward from that day, and time is passing him by.

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The tired young man can count how many seconds have passed since he last heard his voice, but he doesn't feel like it.

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_The End._

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Author's Note:  
Thank you for reading three whole (admittedly very short) chapters of drudge. I felt like writing something sad, and I didn't want that to colour the other stories I have going on- (I think Miss Silver might agree- I thank her for the review!). If it seems a bit lame, please tell me.


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